It was a night like no other in the recent history of the United States capital.
The assault of a violent rabble on the institutions of the US government that followed a speech by President Donald Trump and coincided with a Congressional session to confirm the new president as Joe Biden, has drawn a huge response by the world on social media, but also by prominent figures at home in America and around the world.
What were the most striking comments of Wednesday night in Washington and during Thursday's aftermath? We run a selection here:
"We love you. You're very special." - President Donald Trump to his supporters
"To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win. Violence never wins. Freedom wins." - Vice-President Mike Pence
"Today is a reminder, a painful one, that democracy is fragile. To preserve it requires people of good will, leaders with the courage to stand up, who are devoted not to pursuit of power and personal interest at any cost, but to the common good." - US President-Elect Joe Biden
"Shocking scenes in Washington, D.C. The outcome of this democratic election must be respected." - Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
"What the mob did to our Senate Chamber today was an utter disgrace." - US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien
"Trump and I, we had a hell of a journey. I hate it being this way … all I can say is count me out. Enough is enough. I tried to be helpful." - Republican Senator Lyndsey Graham
"History will rightly remember today's violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation." – Former US President Barack Obama
"This is a national tragedy and is not who we are as a nation." – Former US President Jimmy Carter
"This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic." – Former US President George W Bush
"Today, America looked into the abyss created by Donald Trump and my fervent hope is that even his enablers will now finally draw back in horror." - Former US Vice President Al Gore
"I have no doubt that... American democracy will prevail. It always has." – Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister
"It is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power." - Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister
"What happened today in Washington DC is definitely not American." - French President Emmanuel Macron
"Violence will never succeed in overruling the will of the people. Democracy in the US must be upheld, and it will be." - Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister
"Yesterday was a dark day for the United States." - Woody Johnson, US Ambassador to the UK
"Our democratic institutions have been strong for a very long period of time, our democracy will prevail and our institutions will remain strong. Now is the time for our nation to come together as one and to respect the democratic process in the United States." - US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin
